Wrote a three-page letter to director Steven Spielberg expressing his admiration for his work, particularly Schindler's List (1993). Spielberg was impressed with the heartfelt prose, prompting him to invite Diesel into the star-studded cast of Saving Private Ryan (1998).
Vin revealed in several interviews that he has remained extremely close to friend and The Fast and the Furious (2001) co-star Michelle Rodriguez. His children even refer to her as their aunt.
Has a fraternal twin brother, Paul Vincent, who is a film editor.
Traded a cameo in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) for the rights to the character Riddick from Pitch Black (2000) and The Chronicles of Riddick (2004).
His third child, a daughter, is named Pauline after late best friend and co-star Paul Walker.
Is an admitted fan of "Dungeons and Dragons", and, according to an interview on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993), had then-played it for 24 years.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Blvd. on August 26, 2013.
Revolution Studios wanted him for the title role in Hellboy (2004), but director Guillermo del Toro thought that Ron Perlman was the perfect choice for the role, and would not direct the movie if he was not cast.
Once worked as a telemarketer, selling light bulbs.
Is the cousin of rapper/producer Kwame "The Boy Genius". Kwame says if you watch his old videos, you'll see Vin in a few of them.
Started the video game company Tigon Studios in 2002. It in turn worked on the movie-based game The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (2004). Tigon is working on more next-gen games as well as having a hand in all Diesel-based games.
During his teens, he performed breakdancing in an instructional video on the subject.
Credits the book "Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices" by Rick Schmidt as the one resource above all upon which he built his career. This book, according to Diesel, gave him the tools, knowledge, and most importantly, the inspiration to develop his short film Multi-Facial (1995), which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in.
He worked as a bouncer in New York at the famous nightclubs Tunnel (which has since closed) and Mars.
He gained 35 pounds so he could portray Fat Jackie in Find Me Guilty (2006).
Producing partner with George Zakk. Their company is called One Race Productions. Also owns a record label called Racetrack Records.
He was cast opposite Ben Affleck in Reindeer Games (2000), but left the production shortly after filming began over concerns with the quality of Ehren Kruger's screenplay and creative differences with director John Frankenheimer.
Ranked #46 in Premiere magazine's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Had ranked #95 in 2002.
Both of his movies that came out in 2000 came out on the same day. Boiler Room (2000) and Pitch Black (2000) were both released on February 18, 2000.
Quotes[]
Well, I've worked out for years. For a long time it was my only sense of gratification.
I would get into fights with other bouncers when a guy was already on the floor and the other guys thought it was alright to jump up in the air and land on the guy's head.
With age, you get to a place where you don't want to knock people out. You just want to give people a hug.
I act because it's the one time I'm sure of my identity. There's no doubt. It's on paper.
We're in a gaming society now, so people are conditioned to work a little bit for their story. People like to be rewarded for whatever equity they put into your universe.
My mom used to say that I became a fighter and a scrapper and a tough guy to protect whom I am at my core. This exterior means that I am actually one of the few people who can show love without coming across as soft.
